Parachute harness webbing puller



Feb 15 1944 E. R. DETRlcK PARACHUTE HARNESS WEBBING' FULLER Filed June 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JN VEN TOR.

EDWARD R. DETRICK I'lllllll lll l|| ATTOR N EYS Fe. l5, 194% E R DETRlCK V2,341,909

l PABACHUTE HARNES WEBBING FULLER Filed June 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 y INVENToR.

' EDWARD R.o|-:TR| oK ATTO R N EYS Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UNHTED .PATENT `QFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices for moving one or more articles through an opening in another article to assemble the parts together, and refers more particularly to a device for pulling one or more straps or webbing through an opening in a buckle or parachute harness adaptor or the like after one or more straps or webbingr have previously been inserted through and substantially filled such opening.

Heretofore, it has been customary when assembling straps or webbing in a buckle or adaptor of the type mentioned to insert the first strap or two by hand though the opening and then as the opening becomes more restricted due to the presence therein of the straps just mentioned, to force by pointed hand tool the succeeding strap or straps through the opening beside the rst men tioned straps to complete the asesmbly. Ordinarily, only one strap at a time could be forced through the opening by the hand tool, hence such procedure was slow and retarded production. Moreover, the over-all number of straps that could be inserted by this method was limited and sometimes was less than desired. Furthermore, the pointed hand tool was dangerous and sometimes slipped and jabbed the operator, hence such procedure as a whole was very objectionable.

In the present instance, I have overcome the difculties heretofore experienced by eliminating the pointed hand tool entirely and providing instead a device capable of quickly drawing two or more straps or webbing at one time through the buckle or adaptor. Such device may bean attachment for a table or workbench and may be operated by a foot pedal or other means, as I desired.

Thus, one of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a device that is capable of drawing through a given opening in a buckle, adaptor or the like, the full number of straps desired, that will speed up and accelerate production, and that is safe to operate.

Another object is to provide a device that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and efficient in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a device embodying my invention, and showing a support therefor broken away and in section;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l and showing in section a buckle or adaptor in place at the upper end of the standard, containing two straps, and showing two other straps between the jaws of the device prior to being drawn downwardly to assembled position beside the rst two mentioned straps;

Figure 3 is a iront elevation of the lower portion of the device, including the foot pedal and its support;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the structure illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail assembly View of the two rods and coupling therebetween;

Figure 6 is a detail view of the spring connector and support therefor;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 1, taken on the line 'I-T of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a top plan View of the jaws.

In the present instance, the device set forth herein has been especially designed for pulling straps or webbing through buckles, adaptors, snaps, V rings, D rings andadjusters constituting metallic elements of a parachute harness that is applied to the shoulders and other portions of the person using the parachute, however it will be apparent from the following description thereof that such device may be used to pull other materials through openings in other articles, as desired.

Referring to the drawings, A is a support which may be the top of a table or workbench, B is a base bolted or otherwise rigidly mounted upon said support, C is a standard extending upwardly from the support and having spaced substantially parallel uprights I il and II, respectively, upon opposite sides of and secured at their lower ends to the base B, and D is a connecting plate spanning the space between and secured to said uprghts at their upper ends. Preferably the uprights I0 and II are provided at their upper ends with opposed rabbets I2 and I3, respectively, to vform seats for opposite ends of the buckle or adaptor E of a parachute harness.

F is a slide between and engaging guideways I4 and I5, respectively inthe uprights It and II, H and J are coi-operating work-engaging jaws normally above the standard C and having downwardly extending substantially flat attaching portions I6 and I'I, respectively, secured in superposed relation upon one side of the slide F, and L is a, bracket connected by a pivot pin M to the slide below the superposed attaching portions I5 and I 'I' of the jaws.

For actuating the slide F' and jaws H and J carried thereby, I have provided a foot pedal N and two vertically extending adjustably connected rods O and P, respectively. As shown, the foot pedal N is pivoted at one end to a support 2li which may be secured to the lower framework (not shown) of the table or workbench or may be mounted upon the floor therefor, as desired. The rod P is provided at its lower end with a hook-shaped portion 2i that is connected by an eye bolt 22 to the pedal N at a point substantially midway its ends, while the rod O extends upwardly throughi registering holes 23 and 24, respectivelyl in the support A and base B and has its upper end within and rigid with the bracket L. The adjacent portions 25 and 25, respectively, of the rods P and O, overlap in substantially parallel relation and are connected by a sleeve type coupling or clamp R which preferably is in the form of a block 3!) having spaced holes 3l and 32, respectively, therein for the rods and suitable clamping screws 33 and 34, respectively, that threadedly engage the block and bear against the respective rods.

For normally maintaining the jaws H and J in raised work-receiving position, I have provided a coil spring S that is connected at its lower end to the pedal N preferably at a point substantially midway the free end thereof and the rod P, and is connected at its upper end by a length of wire 40 to an eye bolt 4l rigid with the support A. A block 42 sleeved upon and adjustably fastened to the rod O is engageable with the underside of the support A to limit the upward movement of the slide F and jaws H and J carried thereby.

In the present instance, the jaws H and J and their attaching portions I6 and l1 are formed from flat relatively wide strips of spring metal, however they may have a different configuration and be formed from other stock, as desired. Preferably the jaws H and J have vertically oiset inturned teeth 50 and 5I, respectively, at their upper ends for engagement with the straps or webbing and are adapted to be spread apart to receive the straps or webbing therebetween.

In use, the buckle or adaptor E is rst slipped downwardly upon the jaws H and J until it rests upon the shoulders or seats I2 and I3 of the uprights l and ll, `as illustrated in Figure 2. In this connection, the buckle E may have two holes 52 and 53, respectively, therein, hence the jaws H and J are initially received in the particular hole 53 in which the firstgroup of straps or webbing is to be inserted. The first two straps or webbing T and U, respectively, are then inserted downwardly through the hole 53 as illustrated in Figure 2. Then the second two straps or webbing X and Y are drawn downwardly through the hole 53 beside the first two straps T and U to complete the assembling in` the hole 53 of the buckle or adaptor. If desired, similar insertions of another group of straps or webbing may be made in the other hole 52.

Inasmuch as there is plenty of room in the hole 53 for the first two straps T and U, they may be inserted therein by hand or by the jaws H and J of the device, however as the space left in the hole 53 is quite restricted after said straps T and U have been inserted as described, it would be extremely diiicult if not impossible, without forceful aid of some kind, to subsequently insert the second two straps X and Y into said hole 53 beside the rst mentioned straps. Hence, the straps X and Y are initially inserted between the jaws H and J of the device as illustrated in Figure 2. The pedal N is then depressed so that the straps X and Y will be forcibly pulled or drawn downwardly through the hole 53 beside the rst two straps T and U. The buckle or adaptor E containing the straps T, U, X and Y, respectively, may then be removed from the device. The spring S will return the jaws H and J to a normal raised position when the pedal N is released. The buckle E may then be reversed end for end so that the jaws H and J will be received in the other hole 52, whereupon the insertion of straps in said hole 52 may be accomplished in a similar manner as aforesaid.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a support for a buckle having an opening of predetermined area into which two straps arranged side by side may be inserted by hand, of means for inserting into said opening beside the previously inserted straps aforesaid two additional straps arranged side by side which in combination with the previously inserted straps provide an aggregation of slightly greater cross sectional area than the area of said opening, said means being also operable to draw or pull simultaneously through said opening the additional as well as the previously inserted straps, and including a longitudinally movable contractible substantially V-shaped clamp adapted to enter said opening via the apex of the V beside the previously inserted straps ahead of the additional straps and havin-g at the open end of the V opposed teeth for gripping engagement with the outer sides of the additional straps at the insertable ends thereof, said V-shaped clamp being contractible as it is drawn through said opening beside the previously inserted straps between opposed edges of said opening, whereby the opposed sides of the V are moved toward each other to squeeze together or compress the end portions aforesaid of the additional straps gripped between said opposed teeth, so that said end portions of the additional straps may be inserted into and drawn through said opening by said clamp during longitudinal movement thereof, said V-shaped clamp being also operable as a wedge as it is drawn through said opening whereby the sides of the V in cooperation with the opposed edges aforesaid of said opening and with the previously inserted straps cause frictional engagement to be established to such an extent between the previously inserted straps and between one of them and said clamp that both of the previously inserted straps will be drawn through said opening when the additional straps are drawn therethrough by said clamp.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a support for a buckle having an opening of predetermined area into which strip material may be inserted by hand, of means for inserting into said opening beside the previously inserted strip material aforesaid additional strip material which in combination with the previously inserted strip material provide an aggregation of slightly greater cross sectional area than the area of said opening, said means being also operable to draw or pull simultaneously through said opening the additional as well as the previously inserted strip material, and including a longitudinally movable contractible substantially V- shaped clamp adapted to enter said opening via the apex of the V beside the previously inserted strip material ahead of the additional strip material and having at the open end of the V means for nonslip. gripping engagement with the outer sides of the additional strip material at the insertable endl thereof, said V-shaped clamp being contractible as it is drawn through said opening beside the previously inserted strip material between opposed edges of said opening, whereby the opposed sides oi the V are moved toward each other to squeeze together or compress the end portion aforesaid of the additional strip material gripped between said gripping means, so that said end portion of the additional strip material may be inserted into and drawn through said opening by Said clamp during longitudinal movement thereof, said V-shaped clamp bein-g also operable as a wedge as it is drawn through said opening whereby the sides of the V in cooperation with the opposed edges aforesaid of said opening and with the previously inserted strip material cause frictional engagement to be established to such any extent between the previously inserted strip material and said clamp that the previously inserted strip material will be drawn through said opening when the additional strip material is drawn therethrough by said clamp.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a support for a buckle having an opening of predetermined area into which two straps arranged side by side may be inserted by hand, of means for inserting into said opening beside the previously inserted straps aforesaid i two additional straps arranged side by side which in combination with the previously inserted straps provide an aggregation of slightly greater Cross sectional area than the area of said opening, said means being also operable to draw or pull simultaneously through said opening the additional as well as the previously inserted straps, and including a longitudinally movable contractible substantially V-shaped clamp adapted to enter said opening via the apex of the V beside the previously inserted straps ahead of the additional straps and having at the open end of the V opposed teeth for gripping engagement with the outer sides of the additional straps at the insertable ends thereof, said V-shaped clamp being contractible as it is drawn through said opening beside the previously inserted straps between opposed edges of said opening, whereby the opposed sides of the V are moved toward each other to squeeze together or compress the end portions aforesaid of the additional straps gripped between said opposed teeth, so that said end portions of the additional straps may be inserted into and drawn through said opening by said clamp during longitudinal movement thereof, said V-shaped clamp being also operable as a wedge as it is drawn through said opening Whereby the sides of the V in cooperation with the opposed edges aforesaid of said opening Iand with the previously inserted straps cause frictional engagement to be established to such an extent between the previously inserted straps and between one yof them and said clamp that both of the previously inserted str-aps will be drawn through said opening when the additional straps are drawn therethrough by said clamp, and means connected to said clamp at the apex of the V for drawing the clamp through said opening.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a standard having a supporting seat for a buckle having an opening of predetermined area into which strip material may be inserted by hand, of means for inserting into said opening beside the previously inserted strip material aforesaid additional strip material which in oombinaton with the previously inserted strip material provide an aggregation of slightly greater cross sectional area than the area of said opening,` said means being also operable to draw or pull simultaneously through said opening the additional as well as the previouslyinserted strip material, and including a longitudinally movable contraetible substantially V-shaped clamp adapted to enter said opening via the apex of the V beside the previously inserted strip material ahead ofthe additional strip material and having at the open end of the V means for nonslip gripping engagement with the outer sides of the additional strip material at the insertable end thereof, said V-shaped clamp being contractible as it is drawn through said opening beside the previously inserted strip material between opposed edges of said opening, whereby the opposed sides of the V are moved toward each other to squeeze together or compress the end portion aforesaid of the additional strip material gripped between said gripping means, so that said end portion of the additional strip material may be inserted into and drawn through said opening by said clamp during longitudinal movement thereof, said V-shaped clamp being also operable as a wedge as it is drawn through said opening whereby the sides of the V in cooperation with the opposed edges aforesaid of said opening and with the previously inserted strip material cause frictional engagement to be established to such an extent between the previously inserted strip material and said clamp that the previously inserted strip material will be drawn through said opening whenl the additional strip material is drawn therethrough by said clamp, and means movable lengthwise of the standard and connested to said clamp at the apex of the V for drawing the clamp through said opening.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a standard having a supporting seat for a buckle having an opening of predetermined area into which strip material may be inserted by hand, of means for inserting into said opening beside the previously inserted strip material aforesaid additional strip material which in combination with the previously inserted strip material provide an aggregation of slightly'greater cross sectional area than the area of said opening, said means being also operable to draw or pull simultaneously through said opening the additional as well as the previously inserted strip material, and including a longitudinally movable contractible substantially V- shaped clamp adapted to enter said opening via the apex of the V beside the previously inserted strip material ahead of the additional strip material and having at the open end of the V means for nonslip gripping engagement with the outer sides of the additional strip material at the insertable end thereof, said V-shaped clamp being contractible as it is drawn through said opening beside the previously inserted strip material between opposed edges of said opening, whereby the opposed sides of the V are moved toward each other to squeeze together or compress the end portion aforesaid of the additional strip material gripped between said gripping meansso that said end portion of the additional strip material may be inserted into and drawn through said opening by said clamp during longitudinal movement thereof, said V-shaped clamp being also operable as a Wedge as it is drawn through saidlopening whereby the sides of the V in cooperation with the opposed edges aforesaid of said 'opening and with the previously inserted strip material cause frictional engagement to be established to such an extent between the previously inserted strip material and said clamp that the previously inserted strip material will be drawn through said opening when the additional strip material is drawn therethrough by said clamp, and means for drawing the clamp through said opening, including a, slide movable lengthwise of said standard and connected to said clamp at the apex of the V, and treadle actuated means connected to said slide.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a standard having a supporting seat for a buckle having an opening of predetermined area into which strip material may be inserted by hand, of means for inserting into said opening beside the previously inserted strip material aforesaid additional strip material which in combination with the previously inserted strip provide an aggregation of slightly greater cross sectional area than the area of said opening, said means being also operable to draw or pull simultaneously through said opening the additional as well as the previously inserted strip material, and including a longitudinally movable contractible substantially V-shaped clamp adapted to enter said opening via the apex of the V beside the previously inserted strip material ahead of the additional strip material and having at the open end of the V means for nonslip gripping engagement with the outer sides of the additional strip material at the insertable end thereof, said V-shaped clamp being contractible as it is drawn through said opening beside the previously inserted strip material between opposed edges of said opening, whereby the opposed sides of the V are moved toward each other to squeeze together or compress the end portion aforesaid of the ,additional strip material gripped between said gripping means, so that said end portion of the additional strip material may be inserted into and drawn through said opening by said clamp during longitudinal movement thereof, said V-shaped clamp being also operable as a wedge as it is drawn through said opening whereby the sides of the V in cooperation with the opposed edges aforesaid of said opening and with the previously inserted strip material cause frictional engagement to be established to such an extent between the previously inserted strip material and said clamp that the previously inserted strip material will be drawn through said opening when the additional strip material is drawn therethrough by said clamp, and means for drawing the clamp through said opening, including a slide movable lengthwise of said standard and connected to said clamp at the apex of the V, a manually operable element remote to said slide, and .adjustably connected rods connected respectively to said slide and manually operable element.

EDWARD R. DETRICK. 

